github.com/daniellockard/packer@v0.7.6-0.20141210173435-5a9390934716/website/source/docs/builders/vmware-vmx.html.markdown (about)

     1  ---
     2  layout: "docs"
     3  page_title: "VMware Builder from VMX"
     4  description: |-
     5    This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently supports building virtual machines on hosts running VMware Fusion Professional for OS X, VMware Workstation for Linux and Windows, and VMware Player on Linux.
     6  ---
     7  
     8  # VMware Builder (from VMX)
     9  
    10  Type: `vmware-vmx`
    11  
    12  This VMware Packer builder is able to create VMware virtual machines from an
    13  existing VMware virtual machine (a VMX file). It currently
    14  supports building virtual machines on hosts running
    15  [VMware Fusion Professional](http://www.vmware.com/products/fusion-professional/) for OS X,
    16  [VMware Workstation](http://www.vmware.com/products/workstation/overview.html)
    17  for Linux and Windows, and
    18  [VMware Player](http://www.vmware.com/products/player/) on Linux.
    19  
    20  The builder builds a virtual machine by cloning the VMX file using
    21  the clone capabilities introduced in VMware Fusion Professional 6, Workstation 10,
    22  and Player 6. After cloning the VM, it provisions software within the
    23  new machine, shuts it down, and compacts the disks. The resulting folder
    24  contains a new VMware virtual machine.
    25  
    26  ## Basic Example
    27  
    28  Here is an example. This example is fully functional as long as the source
    29  path points to a real VMX file with the proper settings:
    30  
    31  ```javascript
    32  {
    33    "type": "vmware-vmx",
    34    "source_path": "/path/to/a/vm.vmx",
    35    "ssh_username": "root",
    36    "ssh_password": "root",
    37    "shutdown_command": "shutdown -P now"
    38  }
    39  ```
    40  
    41  ## Configuration Reference
    42  
    43  There are many configuration options available for the VMware builder.
    44  They are organized below into two categories: required and optional. Within
    45  each category, the available options are alphabetized and described.
    46  
    47  ### Required:
    48  
    49  * `source_path` (string) - Path to the source VMX file to clone.
    50  
    51  * `ssh_username` (string) - The username to use to SSH into the machine
    52    once the OS is installed.
    53  
    54  ### Optional:
    55  
    56  * `boot_command` (array of strings) - This is an array of commands to type
    57    when the virtual machine is firsted booted. The goal of these commands should
    58    be to type just enough to initialize the operating system installer. Special
    59    keys can be typed as well, and are covered in the section below on the boot
    60    command. If this is not specified, it is assumed the installer will start
    61    itself.
    62  
    63  * `boot_wait` (string) - The time to wait after booting the initial virtual
    64    machine before typing the `boot_command`. The value of this should be
    65    a duration. Examples are "5s" and "1m30s" which will cause Packer to wait
    66    five seconds and one minute 30 seconds, respectively. If this isn't specified,
    67    the default is 10 seconds.
    68  
    69  * `floppy_files` (array of strings) - A list of files to place onto a floppy
    70    disk that is attached when the VM is booted. This is most useful
    71    for unattended Windows installs, which look for an `Autounattend.xml` file
    72    on removable media. By default, no floppy will be attached. All files
    73    listed in this setting get placed into the root directory of the floppy
    74    and the floppy is attached as the first floppy device. Currently, no
    75    support exists for creating sub-directories on the floppy. Wildcard
    76    characters (*, ?, and []) are allowed. Directory names are also allowed,
    77    which will add all the files found in the directory to the floppy.
    78  
    79  * `fusion_app_path` (string) - Path to "VMware Fusion.app". By default this
    80    is "/Applications/VMware Fusion.app" but this setting allows you to
    81    customize this.
    82  
    83  * `headless` (boolean) - Packer defaults to building VMware
    84    virtual machines by launching a GUI that shows the console of the
    85    machine being built. When this value is set to true, the machine will
    86    start without a console. For VMware machines, Packer will output VNC
    87    connection information in case you need to connect to the console to
    88    debug the build process.
    89  
    90  * `http_directory` (string) - Path to a directory to serve using an HTTP
    91    server. The files in this directory will be available over HTTP that will
    92    be requestable from the virtual machine. This is useful for hosting
    93    kickstart files and so on. By default this is "", which means no HTTP
    94    server will be started. The address and port of the HTTP server will be
    95    available as variables in `boot_command`. This is covered in more detail
    96    below.
    97  
    98  * `http_port_min` and `http_port_max` (integer) - These are the minimum and
    99    maximum port to use for the HTTP server started to serve the `http_directory`.
   100    Because Packer often runs in parallel, Packer will choose a randomly available
   101    port in this range to run the HTTP server. If you want to force the HTTP
   102    server to be on one port, make this minimum and maximum port the same.
   103    By default the values are 8000 and 9000, respectively.
   104  
   105  * `output_directory` (string) - This is the path to the directory where the
   106    resulting virtual machine will be created. This may be relative or absolute.
   107    If relative, the path is relative to the working directory when `packer`
   108    is executed. This directory must not exist or be empty prior to running the builder.
   109    By default this is "output-BUILDNAME" where "BUILDNAME" is the name
   110    of the build.
   111  
   112  * `shutdown_command` (string) - The command to use to gracefully shut down
   113    the machine once all the provisioning is done. By default this is an empty
   114    string, which tells Packer to just forcefully shut down the machine.
   115  
   116  * `shutdown_timeout` (string) - The amount of time to wait after executing
   117    the `shutdown_command` for the virtual machine to actually shut down.
   118    If it doesn't shut down in this time, it is an error. By default, the timeout
   119    is "5m", or five minutes.
   120  
   121  * `skip_compaction` (boolean) -  VMware-created disks are defragmented
   122    and compacted at the end of the build process using `vmware-vdiskmanager`.
   123    In certain rare cases, this might actually end up making the resulting disks
   124    slightly larger. If you find this to be the case, you can disable compaction
   125    using this configuration value.
   126  
   127  * `ssh_key_path` (string) - Path to a private key to use for authenticating
   128    with SSH. By default this is not set (key-based auth won't be used).
   129    The associated public key is expected to already be configured on the
   130    VM being prepared by some other process (kickstart, etc.).
   131  
   132  * `ssh_password` (string) - The password for `ssh_username` to use to
   133    authenticate with SSH. By default this is the empty string.
   134  
   135  * `ssh_port` (integer) - The port that SSH will listen on within the virtual
   136    machine. By default this is 22.
   137  
   138  * `ssh_skip_request_pty` (boolean) - If true, a pty will not be requested as
   139    part of the SSH connection. By default, this is "false", so a pty
   140    _will_ be requested.
   141  
   142  * `ssh_wait_timeout` (string) - The duration to wait for SSH to become
   143    available. By default this is "20m", or 20 minutes. Note that this should
   144    be quite long since the timer begins as soon as the virtual machine is booted.
   145  
   146  * `vm_name` (string) - This is the name of the VMX file for the new virtual
   147    machine, without the file extension. By default this is "packer-BUILDNAME",
   148    where "BUILDNAME" is the name of the build.
   149  
   150  * `vmx_data` (object of key/value strings) - Arbitrary key/values
   151    to enter into the virtual machine VMX file. This is for advanced users
   152    who want to set properties such as memory, CPU, etc.
   153  
   154  * `vmx_data_post` (object of key/value strings) - Identical to `vmx_data`,
   155    except that it is run after the virtual machine is shutdown, and before the
   156    virtual machine is exported.
   157  
   158  * `vnc_port_min` and `vnc_port_max` (integer) - The minimum and maximum port to
   159    use for VNC access to the virtual machine. The builder uses VNC to type
   160    the initial `boot_command`. Because Packer generally runs in parallel, Packer
   161    uses a randomly chosen port in this range that appears available. By default
   162    this is 5900 to 6000. The minimum and maximum ports are inclusive.